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Mater Christi sanctissima

Introduction

The motet Mater Christi sanctissima was written while Taverner was working at Cardinal College. There was much call for Marian music in Wolsey’s foundation, especially when the text’s very opening emphasized Mary’s role as the mother of Christ. And Taverner’s Continental musical influences lent authentic Roman Catholic exoticism to Wolsey’s new establishment. From the outset, the alternation of the two upper voices and the three lower voices references a Continental soundworld, and carefully sets out its modern vocal space within Wolsey’s new architectural space. The effect is simple and direct, yet sophisticated. This Antiphon to the Virgin Mary has an appropriately feminine lilt, and its harmonies are carefully directed. While its five-voice texture is entirely English (with its high-lying arched treble lines and resonant bass), the antiphonal dialogue punctuated by passages of powerful homophony boasts Franco-Flemish influence. Yet the persistent harmonic cross-relations are integral to the piece’s English modality and more frequent than they would be in Continental church music of the time. The motet Mater Christi sanctissima survives in the ‘Peterhouse’ partbooks—a sacred anthology that reflects the repertory of the 1530s at Magdalen College. So this motet travelled east down Oxford’s High Street soon after its composition. Sadly, this set of partbooks is missing its tenor book (the second part up from the bass), although Mater Christi sanctissima is also contained in the ‘Sadler’ partbooks, which date from half a century later. So the piece survives intact, albeit not entirely contemporaneously.

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Therefore, O Son, glory of the Father, Jesus, most abundant fountain from which flow living waters refreshing faithful hearts, O Jesus, food of life for those who feed on you in purity, with the food and drink of salvation you feed our bodies.

Feed the soul by your grace; favour with your gift those who are dedicated to you by the Spirit.

Even more, good Jesus, enlighten our minds with grace, and make us to live in holiness so that we may enjoy the sweet food of heaven in your palace. Amen.

Therefore, O Son, glory of the Father, Jesus, most abundant fountain from which flow living waters refreshing faithful hearts, O Jesus, food of life for those who feed on you in purity, with the food and drink of salvation you feed our bodies.

Feed the soul by your grace; favour with your gift those who are dedicated to you by the Spirit.

Even more, good Jesus, enlighten our minds with grace, and make us to live in holiness so that we may enjoy the sweet food of heaven in your palace. Amen.

Therefore, O Son, glory of the Father, Jesus, most abundant fountain from which flow living waters refreshing faithful hearts, O Jesus, food of life for those who feed on you in purity, with the food and drink of salvation you feed our bodies.

Feed the soul by your grace; favour with your gift those who are dedicated to you by the Spirit.

Even more, good Jesus, enlighten our minds with grace, and make us to live in holiness so that we may enjoy the sweet food of heaven in your palace. Amen.